ST. MARYS — An Indiana man, wanted for child molestation
charges in that state, kept local law enforcement officers at
bay for an hour this morning as he held a knife to his throat
along westbound U.S. 33 near St. Marys.
Ricky Eugene Gunter, 47, of Camden, Ind., surrendered to officers
at 7:28 a.m. and was transported to Joint Township District
Memorial Hospital, St. Marys, for observation. No injuries were
reported.
Gunter told officers he had overdosed on heart medication and
required medical attention, according to Sgt. Rick Swayer, a
public information officer for the Ohio State Highway Patrol
in Columbus.
The incident began when a motor carrier enforcement unit from
the Wapakoneta post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP)
attempted to pull Gunter over for a lighting violation as the
semitrailer traveled westbound on U.S. 33 at Ohio 116. The motor
carrier officer found some discrepancies in the trucker’s
log book, discussed it with the driver and subsequently ran
a check of his operator’s license through Indiana and
Ohio.
“It was at that point, the man barricaded himself in the
truck’s cab and held a knife to his throat,” Swayer
said, adding that he only threatened himself and not the officers.
At least seven OSHP officers and three officers from St. Marys
Police Department immediately arrived at the scene to assist.
Early morning traffic was rerouted as officers closed the busy
four-lane highway for more than an hour.
A mediator from the St. Marys Police Department was called in
and spoke to Gunter who surrendered without incident a short
time later, Swayer said.
No charges were filed against him at press time today, although
he is being held on a warrant for failure to appear in court
in Lafayette, Ind., Swayer said.
“A check of his identification revealed a warrant for
failure to appear in court in Indiana where he faces two counts
of child molestation,” Swayer said.
Charges stemming from this morning’s incident will likely
follow after review of the case by the Auglaize County Prosecutor’s
Office, Swayer added.
The semitrailer, owned by J. Transport Inc. of Marion, Ind.,
remained at the scene at press time today.